The invention relates primarily to combustion engines, and more particularly, to a high power density engine that is light weight, fuel efficient, and versatile.
There are many applications where a high power-to-weight engine is either necessary or helpful. Uses for this type of engine range from hand-held power equipment to motorcycles to racing boats to flying cars to aircraft. When you add fuel efficiency, compactness, and versatility the uses multiply. Currently, there are few viable options available to fulfill these applications and those that are available are very inefficient when high power is no longer desired. When the application warrants it, the engine type of choice has been the turbine engine.
Turbine engines are only efficient while high power is desired (heavy lift/movement and/or high speed), becoming very wasteful outside of their design load. Turbine engines are often un-economical due to their high manufacturing costs and poor fuel efficiency. Internal combustion engines are much more fuel efficient at off peak performance, but currently lack the power-to-weight ratio of turbine engines. Internal combustion engines use readily available fuel to drive them and are practical for many applications. Internal combustion engines are relatively economical to manufacture, reach peak power from idle relatively quickly, and have relatively low heat and noise signatures.
Diesel engines, in particular, while highly fuel efficient, are large and heavy. Take the M1 Abrams tank, for example. Currently, the smallest diesel with the power and speed to drive this main battle tank is significantly larger and heavier than a similarly powered turbine engine. In order to fit one in the chassis, something will have to be sacrificed, such as ammunition and fuel capacity, or the tank may need to be redesigned, such as a new suspension, new transmission, different final drives, and the like.